Volkswagen Passat Problems by Year
NHTSA has 7,516 owner complaints and 50 safety recalls on file for the Volkswagen Passat, across 28 model years (1995–2022). The 2013 model year has the most complaints (748). The most reported problem area overall is air bags.
Volkswagen Passat years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Passat year: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2013 Passat: 748 complaints, 9 recalls
- 1999 Passat: 664 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2002 Passat: 636 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2019 Passat: 12 complaints, 1 recall
- 2022 Passat: 13 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2011 Passat: 16 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Volkswagen Passat problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 1,652 | 24 | 114 |
| Electrical System problems | 1,136 | 28 | 15 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 847 | 22 | 7 |
| Engine problems | 643 | 25 | 10 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 605 | 20 | 16 |
| Steering problems | 570 | 26 | 7 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 471 | 24 | 11 |
| Power Train problems | 452 | 25 | 8 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 413 | 23 | 1 |
| Suspension problems | 362 | 21 | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 291 | 24 | 8 |
| Visibility problems | 276 | 21 | 3 |
| Structure problems | 238 | 24 | 17 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 235 | 22 | 27 |
| Seats problems | 210 | 17 | 6 |
| Service Brakes problems | 182 | 23 | 13 |
| Tires | 92 | 20 | 2 |
| Equipment | 90 | 18 | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 90 | 9 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 69 | 17 | 4 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 66 | 17 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 65 | 22 | 10 |
| Visibility/wiper | 64 | 14 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 50 | 11 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 44 | 7 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 44 | 9 | 2 |
| Wheels | 40 | 15 | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 37 | 11 | 3 |
| Parking Brake | 19 | 9 | 2 |
| Interior Lighting | 15 | 7 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 14 | 4 | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Volkswagen Passat problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2015: air bags (88) · engine (53)
- 2014: air bags (354) · engine (77) · electrical system (74)
- 2013: air bags (382) · engine (104) · electrical system (93) · fuel/propulsion system (65) · exterior lighting (60) · steering (51)
- 2012: air bags (296) · electrical system (95)
- 2009: engine (60)
- 2007: air bags (106)
- 2006: air bags (148) · steering (112) · electrical system (79) · engine and engine cooling (66) · engine (64)
- 2005: engine and engine cooling (50)
- 2004: engine and engine cooling (59)
- 2003: fuel system, gasoline (137) · engine and engine cooling (131) · seats (97) · electrical system (90)
- 2002: electrical system (220) · engine and engine cooling (135) · fuel system, gasoline (55)
- 2001: engine and engine cooling (92) · electrical system (73)
- 2000: service brakes, hydraulic (160) · engine and engine cooling (94)
- 1999: service brakes, hydraulic (184) · suspension (118) · engine and engine cooling (86) · steering (76) · electrical system (58)
- 1998: suspension (90) · service brakes, hydraulic (70) · steering (52)
All Volkswagen Passat model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Passat | 13 | 0 | 4★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Passat | 18 | 1 | 5★ | Lane Departure | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Passat | 18 | 3 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Passat | 12 | 1 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 Passat | 46 | 4 | 5★ | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 Passat | 110 | 7 | 5★ | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 Passat | 106 | 5 | 5★ | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2015 Passat | 243 | 7 | 5★ | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 Passat | 594 | 10 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 Passat | 748 | 9 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 Passat | 484 | 11 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2011 Passat | 16 | 0 | — | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Passat | 163 | 4 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2009 Passat | 146 | 4 | — | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2008 Passat | 168 | 4 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 Passat | 262 | 7 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2006 Passat | 576 | 7 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 Passat | 148 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2004 Passat | 279 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 2003 Passat | 628 | 6 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 Passat | 636 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Passat | 430 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Passat | 507 | 3 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Passat | 664 | 5 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Passat | 331 | 4 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Passat | 37 | 0 | — | Visibility | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1996 Passat | 40 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1995 Passat | 93 | 1 | — | Visibility | Fewer complaints than other years |
More from Volkswagen: all Volkswagen models · Volkswagen VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Volkswagen Passat years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1998 (331), 1999 (664), 2000 (507), 2001 (430), 2002 (636), 2003 (628), 2006 (576), 2012 (484), 2013 (748), 2014 (594) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Passat year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Volkswagen Passat?
Air Bags, with 1,652 complaints across 24 model years.
How many recalls does the Volkswagen Passat have?
50 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.